Biodynamic Farming

This video gives a short & personal intro in the form of a farmers' experience with biodynamic farming. I quote:

"The most important piece of it is to try to create a farm that is self-sustaining. Most modern organic farming is kinda conventional farming with organic inputs. So it's really trying to close that circle … The goal is either to have the animals or cover crop whatever fertility you use on the farm and you use that fertility to grow your produce… you need to diversify and can't monocrop… creating an ecological/gardening eden"

- Sebastian Aguilar, farmer.

Sounds good? Let's explore!

What is Biodynamic farming?

It is often said that biodynamic agriculture has its roots in the anthroposophical teachings of Rudolph Steiner where the farm is treated as closed system/organismal unit whereby all process within it facilitate the self-sustenance of the farm (i.e. little or no external input, not even 'natural' external fertilizers). It has been known for its positive ecological impacts including:

1. Increasing biodiversity

2. Increasing soil fertility (naturally)

3. Creating a cycle of energy and matter and hence efficiency (i.e. no wastage of plant & animal produce)  (Acevic & Lazic 2012) 

What are the processes that gives rise to these benefits? How are these ecological benefits played out?

This is a form of organic but goes far beyond organic practices. In this video, it shows the 'preparatory stages' of biodynamics. To be honest, I was really surprised at what goes on behind some of the practices. Biodynamic in its bid to be "self-sustaining, balanced and harmonious environment"  is done such that any plant/animal waste/produce is turned into 'nutrients/fertility' for the next crop… But it goes even further: and sometimes includes a 'Spiritual' aspect: talking to the plants with dousing rods and preparations such as watering the ground with ground up quartz stones, composting plant matter in animal organs (like sausages), following astronomical calendar/ cycles.

This video shows an experience biodynamic farmer and some processes involved.  

Customers of this biodynamic farm express the same curiosity and perplexity at these practices., but one thing they do all say: "it works!" -the food produced is of superior quality (which is something I can personally/subjectively attest to having eaten the best apples ever from a biodynamic farm at the Bloomsbury farmers market every Thursday next to the University of London Union). Or perhaps it is a 'placebo' effect?

And so naturally when I came across these curious practices, I looked to find some logical explanation for the processes but there is a real lack of literature on it and perhaps the nature of its philosophy is something that biodynamic advocates may say that science cannot discover (leading some to call it a 'pseudoscience'). Anyhow, here's what I've found...

Biodynamic farming  through its incorporation of organic practices such as multicropping does give rise to the benefits of less fallow land and reduced till (Foley et al 2011). Chalker-Scott argues that the benefits reaped in biodynamic farming is not due to the special preparations themselves but that it is conflated with organic practices e.g. no till and the like and these are the ones that have a scientific basis for investigation.

However, from the few studies  I could gather, biodynamic farming does show evidence-based positive effects, giving some benefit of a doubt to the usefulness of these preparations (which are applied not only in the west but also in India). Jayasree & George (2006) showed that a biodynamic treatment + organic manure increased the shelf life & vitamin C in chilli as in comparison to plots with no treatment. In a long-term study of farmyard manure treated with biodynamic preparations showed a more active soil earthworm abundance and faster decomposition rates which allow greater amounts of labile C to be incorporated for growth (Zaller & Kopke, 2004) . In fact  higher yields (when compared to organic and conventional systems) were obtained when conditions were less favourable (Goldstein et al.). Perhaps what gives us a clue of the viability of this system is that it really has the potential to operate in a self-sustaining way- it was shown that no N-fertilization (alongside the organic system) was needed to achieve these high levels of yield, unlike the conventional system. It is postulated that these 'treatment's have 'hormone-like' effects that enhance soil and rooting quality and creates resilience.

In conclusion…

I find it especially difficult to conclude this post. Have I chanced upon the 'homoeopathy' of agriculture or is it just that we can't explain the mechanisms behind the observed positive responses? There has been some evidence to show that it does have superior results, but I think the nature of how it is is that it will always remain an 'occult' practice outside of 'science-based' policy decisions. Nevertheless, it would be interesting (and maybe some use might come out of it?) to investigate the actual biochemical/ physiological mechanisms which these practices affect. As far as it goes for me, the benefits of biodynamic farming  presents itself as a fair alternative, especially when one includes the added incentive of really recycling all the nutrients and enhancing sustainability in the process. It seems to me as a farming method that does really try to adhere to the ecological principles of 'cycles'  which many other methods fail to recognize.